Frequently Asked Questions

Start by completing our contact form. This allows our office to review basic information about your VA disability matter and determine whether we may be able to screen it further.

After the contact form is reviewed, we may request additional forms or information. Completing a contact form, intake form, or screening document does not mean the firm has agreed to take the case and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Include the type of VA disability issue, current rating if any, recent VA decisions, appeal deadlines, claimed conditions, and a brief summary of what help is being requested. Do not send original documents unless requested.

After the contact form is submitted, our office will review the information provided. If the matter appears to fall within the scope of cases we may be able to consider, we may request additional screening forms or information.

If the matter is not one we are able to move forward with, we will notify you by email.

No. The contact form is the starting point for potential new clients. We are not able to evaluate potential matters by phone before the requested screening information is submitted.

No. Submitting a contact form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Representation begins only after the firm agrees to take the case and the required representation documents are completed.

No. We do not offer consultation calls before the requested forms are completed. The forms are part of our screening process and allow us to determine whether a matter is one we may be able to review further.

Completing the forms does not mean the firm has agreed to take the case, does not guarantee an intake call, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

No. After review, we will contact potential clients by email if we are not able to move forward. If the matter is one we may be able to consider further, we will contact the potential client regarding the next step.

We take on new matters on a rolling basis as current VA matters close. Once requested forms are completed, it may take several weeks before we are able to review and respond. Matters are reviewed in the order received and as availability opens.

Our office focuses on VA disability benefits. We evaluate claims involving service connection, increased ratings, appeals, supplemental claims, Higher-Level Reviews, CAVC appeals, and other VA disability-related matters when they fall within the scope of our practice.

No. We are selective about the matters we accept. Some cases may be outside the scope of our practice, may not be procedurally ready for representation, or may not be a good fit for our current caseload.

We will notify you by email if we are not able to move forward. This does not necessarily mean the claim has no merit. It means we are not able to accept the matter based on our screening process, current caseload, scope of practice, or other case-specific factors.

Our primary communication method is email. Email allows us to keep accurate records, provide detailed explanations, and make sure each client receives the same consistent process.

Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Eastern Time. We are closed on weekends and federal holidays.

Emails or voicemails received after hours, over a weekend, or on a federal holiday are treated as received on the next business day. Weekends, federal holidays, and time outside normal business hours are not counted as business days for response-time purposes.

Emails and voicemails are handled in the order received during business hours. This allows us to respond consistently and fairly to all clients.

Sending multiple emails or voicemails before we have reached the original message may delay response time because the communication may move to the newest position in the queue.

No. Calls do not ring through for live answering. Phone communication is handled through voicemail so that messages can be reviewed and returned in the order received.

Calls without a voicemail are not received into our communication queue. To request a response, a voicemail must be left with the reason for the call.

No. Our office line is a business line and does not accept text messages.

Clients should check spam, junk, promotions, and filtered folders. If an email from our office is routed to spam, that is controlled by the recipient’s email settings and must be corrected on the recipient’s end.

Once representation begins, we obtain access to the VA file, review available records, identify potential claims or appeal options, and determine the appropriate next steps based on the evidence and procedural posture of the matter.

VA files can contain thousands of pages of medical records, service records, prior decisions, exam reports, rating narratives, and procedural documents. Proper review requires careful cross-referencing and cannot be done accurately as an on-demand task.

Yes. We use a queue-based system so that each client is handled consistently and fairly. Matters are reviewed based on the type of task, the status of the VA file, and the order in which the item reaches the appropriate queue.

Our office uses separate queues for different types of work. Emails and voicemails are handled through the communication queue. Decision letters and appeal reviews are handled through the decision-letter and appeal queue. Financial worksheets, deposit information, and invoices are handled through the financial queue.

Each category requires a different type of review. A voicemail response, financial worksheet, decision-letter review, and appeal strategy are not the same task. Movement in one queue does not mean another queue has completed its review.

No. We do not move matters ahead of other clients because of repeated calls, repeated emails, frustration with VA delays, or disagreement with the queue. The queue exists so all clients are treated fairly.

The VA may send letters, notices, or updates directly to clients before our office has completed review. Receiving a VA letter does not mean our office has already reviewed it. Once the item reaches the appropriate queue, we review it and provide next steps when applicable.

Keep the full letter and any attachments. Our office will review decision letters through the decision-letter and appeal queue. Once reviewed, we will provide the applicable next steps by email.

Decision-letter review can take time because we must review the decision, rating narrative, evidence, exam findings, effective dates, and appeal options. Depending on the queue and complexity, review may take one to two weeks.

An appeal plan should be based on the complete VA record, not only the summary shown in a notification letter or VA.gov update. We review the available decision documents and supporting records before determining the appropriate next step.

A Higher-Level Review asks the VA to review a prior decision for error based on the evidence that was already in the record at the time of the decision. New evidence cannot be added in a Higher-Level Review.

A Supplemental Claim allows new and relevant evidence to be submitted after a prior VA decision. This may be appropriate when additional medical records, diagnoses, nexus evidence, or other supporting documents are needed.

No. Not every denial should be appealed immediately. Some issues require additional evidence first. Some may need a new diagnosis, updated treatment records, or a different procedural approach before an appeal is appropriate.

Disagreement with a rating does not automatically mean the VA made an appealable error. Ratings are based on specific VA criteria, medical evidence, exam findings, functional loss, symptoms, and documentation. We review the record before determining whether an appeal or additional evidence is appropriate.

No. No representative can guarantee a VA rating, effective date, service connection, appeal result, or payment amount. We evaluate the record and advocate based on the evidence, law, and available procedural options.

A Compensation and Pension exam is a VA-requested examination used to evaluate claimed conditions, severity, service connection, or other medical issues related to a VA disability claim.

The VA decides whether an exam is needed. If the VA requests an exam, the request is sent to a contracted exam vendor or VA facility for scheduling. Our office does not control whether the VA requests an exam or when the vendor schedules it.

Attend the exam unless there is a legitimate reason to reschedule. Missing an exam can negatively affect a claim.

If a scheduling issue arises, contact the exam vendor as soon as possible. Rescheduling is handled through the exam vendor or VA facility. Be careful with repeated rescheduling or missed exams, because it may delay or harm the claim.

In many cases, a spouse, family member, or friend may accompany a veteran to the appointment. The examiner or facility may control whether that person can be present in the exam room.

Be honest, accurate, and specific. Do not exaggerate symptoms, but do not minimize them either. Explain symptoms, limitations, flare-ups, frequency, severity, duration, and how the condition affects daily life and work.

We do not coach clients to give specific answers. We can explain the general purpose of an exam, the types of issues that may be discussed, and the importance of being truthful and thorough.

For many musculoskeletal conditions, VA ratings are heavily influenced by range-of-motion measurements and functional loss. Pain, flare-ups, weakness, instability, and limitations should be accurately reported to the examiner.

Let our office know by email after the exam. Include the date of the exam, the examiner’s name if known, what happened, and any specific concerns. We will review the issue in the context of the claim and determine whether any response is appropriate.

Yes, if they are relevant and requested. Medical records, private treatment records, diagnoses, surgical records, Line of Duty documents, and other evidence may be important depending on the claim. Check with our office before sending any documentation.

If the VA sends a medical release form for a private provider, complete and sign it. If our office or the VA has requested it, send the completed form to us so it can be uploaded.

For private medical records, we may need the provider’s name, clinic name, address, phone number, fax number, and dates of treatment. Incomplete provider information can delay the VA’s ability to request records.

New evidence should be submitted strategically. Some review lanes allow new evidence and others do not. Sending evidence without considering the procedural posture can create confusion or delay.

A new diagnosis may change the available options. Email our office with the diagnosis, provider information, date of diagnosis, medication if applicable, and any related records or release forms.

Our fee is 30% of retroactive benefits, also called back pay, that results from the work performed under the fee agreement.

Fees are based on the written fee agreement. We do not guarantee any rating, effective date, back pay amount, or outcome.

Back pay is the retroactive amount the VA owes when benefits are granted or increased for a past period. For example, if the VA grants an increase effective several months earlier, the VA may issue a retroactive payment for the difference between what was paid and what should have been paid during that period.

Our fee is based on retroactive benefits and back pay under the fee agreement. It is not a percentage of future monthly VA disability payments going forward.

Fees are calculated according to the written fee agreement. In VA disability matters, fees are based on retroactive benefits or back pay generated by the claim or appeal.

The VA may withhold retroactive benefits for reasons such as separation pay recoupment, debts, or other offsets. Fee calculation depends on the fee agreement and the award information, not necessarily the amount deposited after VA withholding.

Payment should be made according to the instructions provided with the invoice. If an invoice states to wait until the VA deposit is received, payment should be made after the deposit reaches the account.

Notify our office by email. VA deposits may arrive in one payment or multiple payments, and timing can vary. We may ask for confirmation of account information or other details depending on the issue.

Our office generally does not handle dependent-addition claims. Veterans are typically responsible for adding dependents through VA.gov or the appropriate VA process. These methods are much quicker than if we submit the documentation.

Dependent processing times vary widely and can take months. If approved, the VA should issue any applicable back pay based on the effective date assigned.

An attorney-client relationship begins only after the firm agrees to representation and the required representation documents are completed. Intake forms, screening emails, or preliminary communications do not create an attorney-client relationship.

Yes. Every client has the right to revoke representation, seek different representation, or proceed without representation. Revocation should be provided in writing and may also be submitted directly to the VA.

Communication and review continue through the office’s standard process. Emails, voicemails, financial worksheets, decision letters, evidence, and VA correspondence are reviewed through the applicable queues so that all clients are handled consistently and fairly.